A toxicology report released by North Carolina authorities has confirmed that American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky had a mix of stimulant and psychoactive substances in his system when he died in October 2025. The findings have renewed attention on the circumstances surrounding his sudden death at age 29, which deeply affected the international chess community.
Officials said the laboratory results detected four substances: methamphetamine, amphetamine, mitragynine, and 7-hydroxymitragynine.
The latter two are the active components of kratom, a plant product that can act as a stimulant at lower doses and as a sedative at higher doses.
Methamphetamine and amphetamine are synthetic stimulants known for their strong cardiovascular effects and risk of overdose.
Naroditsky was found unresponsive at his home in Charlotte after friends and fellow players raised concerns when they were unable to reach him. Grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk, a close friend, had publicly worried about Naroditsky’s mental state in the days leading up to the incident.
Before his death, Naroditsky had been dealing with online accusations from former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, who claimed he cheated in online games - allegations Naroditsky denied.
The dispute brought intense attention and online debate, which friends say added emotional strain. After Naroditsky’s passing, Kramnik issued condolences and said his earlier remarks had been misinterpreted.
He also faced heavy backlash from fans and commentators and has considered legal action against some of his critics. Meanwhile, FIDE confirmed it is reviewing Kramnik's conduct and may consider disciplinary steps.
Naroditsky rose to prominence early in his career, becoming a grandmaster at 18 and later graduating from Stanford University with a degree in history.
During the pandemic, he became a major educational figure in online chess through YouTube and Twitch, where his instructional content and commentary drew more than 800,000 followers and helped grow interest in the game.
Following his death, tributes arrived from across the chess world. Magnus Carlsen called him "a resource to the chess community," and Hikaru Nakamura described him as "the best of us."
A moment of silence was observed at the U.S. Championship, and FIDE has announced plans for a memorial award to honor his contributions to teaching and promoting chess.
